Sir, - You will not expect me to let pass Rory O'Hanlon's fatuous invocation of Oscar Wilde to support the criminalisation of homosexual activity (July 3rd). He shows as much familiarity with Oscar Wilde as your other wouldbe knowledgeable correspondent Micheal MacCoisdealbh shows about Joyce - but Ronan Farren has, I hope, seen off that piece of nonsense.
The debauchery of Dorian Gray was as much heterosexual as homosexual as the text makes clear, and all sexual activity that takes place between consenting adults that is criminalised is bound to have its sordid side: witness the poor drabs of Dublin's streets. The homosexual activity for which Wilde was condemned had only been illegal for 10 years. Moreover, there is no homosexual activity that does not also take place between men and women. - Yours, etc., D.C. Rose,
The Oscar Wilde Research Project, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin.